ICE Agent Forgets Gun in Airport Bathroom: How Long Was It Unattended?

• ICE agent forgets gun
• Found in airport bathroom
• Flight attendant alerted authorities

A gun belonging to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent was found in a public bathroom at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

The discovery was made on the afternoon of July 21 after the security checkpoint in Terminal 2, according to airport spokesperson Doug Yakel, who confirmed the incident to NBC.

A flight attendant found the gun in a stall in the men’s bathroom and alerted authorities, prompting officials to temporarily close the area.

The incident raises questions about how an official firearm was left unattended inside a terminal and, especially, how long it remained accessible before someone found it.

Flight Attendant Finds ICE Agent’s Gun

After receiving the alert, airport security personnel closed the bathroom and contacted the San Francisco Police Department to determine who owned the gun.

Police officers were still at the scene when the ICE agent later returned to retrieve the gun they had left behind, according to information provided to NBC.

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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was also notified of the incident, although no information about potential administrative consequences for the agent has been disclosed so far.

It also remains unclear how long the gun was inside the stall before it was found or how many people may have used the bathroom during that time.

Airport Does Not Know Why ICE Agent Was There

Yakel told NBC that airport authorities were also unaware of why the immigration agent was at the facility that day.

That detail leaves unanswered questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether the agent was performing official duties when they forgot the gun in the bathroom.

The case is particularly significant because it occurred in a public space located beyond the security checkpoint, an area used daily by passengers, workers, and flight crews.

So far, the available information does not indicate that anyone handled the gun, that any shots were fired, or that anyone was injured during the incident.

Incident Occurs Amid Increasing Scrutiny of ICE

The discovery also comes as the actions of ICE agents remain under intense public scrutiny following recent incidents involving the use of force.

ICE agents have been involved in fatal shootings and faced accusations of excessive force, increasing public attention on their procedures and responsibilities.

In this case, however, authorities have not reported whether the agent will face sanctions or whether ICE has launched an internal investigation into the incident.

According to EFE and Telemundo, the central question remains unanswered: How long was the gun left unattended in the bathroom, and what measures could prevent a similar incident from happening again?